Today we will be checking IScream Vol. 01, a new sample library developed by Booraz Audio. IScream was released a month ago and features many sounds effects oriented towards horror and dark sound design projects.
We were kindly provided with a review copy from Booraz Audio to check out what the library has to offer.
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OVERVIEW
IScream is a sample library for the full version of Native Instruments’ Kontakt sampler, featuring over 100 organic and processed sound effects samples, sourced from human voices, metals, glass, electric wires, and of course, synths.
In addition to the Kontakt version, a folder of sound effects in 24bit/48kHz WAV format is also provided, which is useful for composers who like to further manipulate sound sources using their own plugins.
The library is just over 1.4 GB in size and the developer is promising free updates throughout 2021. In fact, the next one is scheduled to launch in just over a month.
There is also a free trial pack available to get an idea of what the library is like.
WHO IS BEHIND ISCREAM?
The library was developed by a trio of sound designers based in eastern Europe who decided to join efforts and create their own company, Booraz Audio, earlier this year. Their core concept is to produce useful and original sound libraries at a very competitive price.
THE ENGINE
Under Kontakt, the library will appear in the browser. Loading one of the instruments will bring the scary interface to life and a demonic entity ready to jump at your face.
Recovering from the shock, composers will quickly recognize the familiar layout of the Photosynthesis engine. The GUI allows for quick and easy sound manipulation, such as EQ, overdrive, distortion, compression, and gating effects, just to name a few.
It is useful to note that by default, the Kontakt patches will load with some effects already activated, such as reverb or distortion. It is then up to you to adjust and manipulate the source to your liking. Fortunately, the engine makes it very easy to do so, with clear controls as shown on the following screenshot.
IN USE
There are two ways to navigate through IScream. Outside of Kontakt, the WAV Samples folder offers an easy way of selecting sounds. The quality of the recordings is on par with what you can expect from a professional library. In terms of choice, it is evident here that the library wants to cover a bit more than what the title suggests, and we can find a few atmospheric drones, about a dozen hits, booms and whoosh-hits, many human sounds, and some nice organic growls – perfect to add sound to horrifying monsters and aliens. It seems that some of the sounds offered here are not present in the Kontakt patches, so make sure to have a peek at this folder.
Going over to Kontakt, the library is divided into 3 folders. The “Atmos & Lead” section contains a selection of interesting sounds, that are more on the prominent “lead” side of things, as opposed to subtle drones for example. I particularly liked the different mangled Harp patches, with a special mention to the “Underwater Harp”.
The “Reverses & Hits” category is self-explanatory and contains a limited but great selection of booms and risers. These risers seem to be mainly metallic and glassy in nature, giving them a great “industrial” sort of vibe.
Finally, the “Screams & SFX” section contains what the library is named after: a good selection of shouts, screams, scares and weeps, that could fit right into any horror movie or video game. Some of the screams are presented in tonal and atonal forms, sourced both from men and women. Note that the selection of sounds is larger on the female side though. In our testing, it only took a few minutes to manipulate a sound source via the Photosynthesis engine in order to get a cool, “cinematic” result.
CONCLUSION
IScream Vol. 01 is a condensed pack of useful sounds, fitting well into the horror and dark thriller sound design genre. The variety of effects, despite their limited number, is refreshing, making me want to see what Booraz Audio will offer in a future volume 2 follow-up. The library is selling for a very competitive price at $69, which I feel is very reasonable for the value offered here.
Pros
- Quality of recordings
- Variety of sounds
- Competitive price
Cons
- A spreadsheet listing of all the effects offered would be a welcome addition
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